Trowel



c. E. FRITZ 2,167,996

TROWEL Filed oct. 5, 193s 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES TROWEL Clement E. Pritz, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 3,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in trowels and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is more particularly concerned with trowels for spreading plasters, cements and plastics upon associated surfaces as distinguished from a so-called garden trowel.

In trowels of this kind, asheretofore made, diilculty is encountered in spreading the material employed, to an even depth so that the trowelled material is not uniform in thickness and a more or less wavy surface results. In spreading plastic material upon floors to receive a sheeted covering such as linoleum, it is important that such material be' of an even thickness throughout. Otherwise, not only the appearance of the finished floor covering is effected, but high spots are formed therein and which are the first places to show wear.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a trowel for the spreading of plastic materials on desired surfaces and which not only assures an even spreading thereof but also a better control of the depth or thickness of the material thus spread.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trowel of this kind which arranges or leaves the material being spread in evenly spaced apart ridges of uniform thickness to collapse or fall and merge together in a layer of even depth.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trowel of this kind which includes spaced apart ridge forming teeth or fingers along at least one edge thereof and which teeth or lingers may be adjusted in operative length, not only to control the depth of the ridges formed, but also to corn.- p'ensate for the wearing oi and consequent shortening in operating length.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trowel of this kind which is not only simple in construction for low cost production, but which is also elicient in operation for its intended purpose.

The above mentioned objectsY of the invention as well as others, together with the several advantages thereof will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

I n the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a double edge trowel embodying one form of the invention, showing the spaced apart ridge forming lingers in their retracted inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of apart of the trowel, shown in Fig. 1,-on an enlarged 1938, Serial No. 232,946

(Cl. Y2-136) scale, showing the ridge forming fingers in their projected operative position.V Y g Fig'. Sis a longitudinal sectional view through the trowel as taken onthe line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional View through the trowel, Von a further enlarged scale, as taken on the line 4`4 of Fig. 3 and shows the tro-wel in the angular position of use as when spreading a plastic like material over an associated surface.

Fig. 5 is a vertical detail section through the material on the surface shown in Fig. 4, the planeof the section being taken on the line 5 5 of said Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 after the ridged material has fallen or collapsed to merge into a layer of even depth.

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical sectional View through one side of a modified form of trowel construction embodying the invention and which will be described in greater detail, later on. l

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in plan elevation of `a plate-like member embodied in the trowel and separated from the other parts of the trowel.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and especially to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 thereof,` I0 indicates the blade of the trowel and II indicates the handle therefor by which the trowel as a whole is manipulated or operated in use. Said blade is in the form of a rectangular piece of sheet metal that has a length greater than its' width. It has a smooth bottom working face and a top face. Along each side margin of the blade is an inturned fiange I2 connected to the body of .the blade by a fold I3 in which are longitudinally spaced, rectangular openings I4.

On the top face of the trowel is located a pair of comb-like plate -members I5--l5 each of a length approximating thatV of the blade, but of a width somewhat less than that of the blade. Each member I5, a pla-rt of which appears in Fig. 8, has an inner longitudinal portion I6 and an vouter longitudinal portion formed of transversely extending, spaced apart fingers or teeth Il. The fingers or teeth l1 are spaced apart in accordance with the spacing between the openings Ill in the folds I3 at the longitudinal -edges of the blade so as to register with and pass or extend through said openings as will later appear. Preferably the spacesl'la between said fingers, are the same in width as said fingers. In the inner portion IE of bothmembers I5, are transverse slots or recesses I8 that open through the edges of said portion. When said members I 5-I5 are in operative position upon the blade ID, the inner portion of one member overlaps the inner portion of that member directly engaged on the top face of the blade.

I9 indicates a support for the handle II of the trowel. This support is in the form of a metal bar arranged in the longitudinal median line of the blade. Threaded studs 20 project upwardly from the blade along its median line so as to extend through the slots or recesses I8 in both members I5 and these studs also pass up through the support I 9 to receive nuts 2 I These studs are so anchored at their bottom ends in the blade so as to be flush therewith, as shown in Fig. 4. Thus when the nuts 2I are tightened up on the studs 20, this operates through the handle support I9 to clamp the members I5-I5 in the desired position on the blade I0.

When the members I5-I5 are in one operative position on the blade, the iingers or teeth I6 of both members project through the slots I4 in the folds I3 of the blade and beyond the edges of said blade as defined by said folds. When the members I5-I5 are rigidly clamped in position on the blade, the flanges I2-I 2 overhang and extend across all of the fingers I'! at this point.

In the use of the trowel, assume that a mass of plastic material 22 has been applied to a floor 23 and that it is desired to spread said material evenly thereover to receive a floor covering such as linoleum in sheet form. With the trowel grasped by the handle, the operator causes one end portion of a set of teeth or lingers I1 to engage and penetrate the material until said teeth meet the surface of the floor 23 as appears in Fig. 4. With the transverse plane of the blade disposed in an angular position with respect to the iioor, the trowel is given a sweeping movement with the said portions of the iingers trailing in the direction of the movement of the trowel. With a suflicient mass of material 22 on the floor, said material is divided into spaced ridges or bands 24 of material and those portions of the fold 23 of the blade between said lingers will act as strike ofi" surfaces which insure an even depth of material in said ridges or bands as shown in Fig. 5. r

These ridges or bands, when of a sufficient height or depth, being somewhat iiuid-like, Will collapse or fall under their own weight or when the weight of the linoleum or other material is placed thereon so as to merge or run together as an even layer 25 of a depth approximately half the depth of the ridges or bands mentioned.

By loosening the nuts 2l it is apparent that clamping action is released from the handle support. The members I5-I5 may now be shifted inwardly or outwardly laterally of the blade, to give the desired length to the fingers or teeth, outwardly beyond the edges of the blade. This length and the angular position in which the trowel is held, determines the depth of the ridges 24 of material formed.

The recesses or notches I8 in the inner portion of the plate members I5-I5 are so gauged in length that when the inner ends engage the studs 20 the outer extremities of the fingers II are disposed just within the folds I3 defining the lateral edges of said blade. If desired to reduce the weight of the members I5-I5 without impairing their rigidity, openings 26 vmay be made in the inner portions I6 of said members at points between said recesses or slots I8.

In Fig. 1', the plates are shown with the teeth entirely within the confines of the blade but in use the teeth will ordinarily project from the edge. Also, while in Fig. 4 only one plate is shown as projecting, usually both plates will be arranged so that they project when the device is in use.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modiiied form of construction of a trowel embodying the invention, which relates more particularly to the structure at the edges of the blade. Instead of the flanges I2-I2 which are folded back upon the blade to provide a backing for the lingers against flexing as before described, I provide the following. Illa' indicates the blade which is formed with a marginal, outwardly extending, flange-like edge portion I2a that is upset upwardly above the top face of the blade but is joined thereto by a reverse curve portion or web I 3a in which are formed the longitudinally spaced openings I4a through which the fingers or the teeth I'Ia extend. With this arrangement, the fingers or teeth extend under this iiange-like edge portion to receive a backing against flexing at a point outwardly beyond the edge of the blade proper. Also, with such an arrangement, it is apparent that the bottom edge of the portion I2a then operates as the strike-01T for the ridges of plastic material operated upon, in the use of the trowel.

While the fingers or teeth are shown as being rectangular in shape, they may be of other desired shapes.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom working face and a top face, means on said top face of the blade providing spaced apart fingers projecting outwardly beyond one edge of the blade, and means carried by said blade along said edge for engaging said ngers from above.

2. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom working face and a top face, means mounted on said top face of the blade for movement toward and away from one edge of said blade and formed to provide spaced apart fingers projecting outwardly beyond said edge of the blade, parts of said blade along said edge being formed to extend between said iingers to guide said iingers in the adjusting movement of said first mentioned means.

3. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom working face and a top face, means mounted on said top face of the blade for movement toward and away from one edge of said blade and formed to provide spaced apart fingers projecting outwardly beyond said edge of the blade, parts of said blade along said edge being formed to extend between said ngers and to engage the same from above to guide said fingers in the adjusting movement of said first mentioned means and to resist flexing of said lingers at points inwardly of said edge.

4. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom working face and a top face and opposed edges, means on said top face of the blade each mounted for movement toward and away from an associated edge and formed to provide spaced apart lingers extending outwardly beyond said edges, and means along said edges and including portions arranged between said fingers for guiding said ngers in the movement of said means toward and away from said edges.

5. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom working face and a top face and opposed edges, means on said top face of the blade each mounted for movementI toward and away from an associated edge and formed to provide spaced apart fingers extending outwardly beyond said edges, and means along said edges and including portions arranged between said ngers and other portions for engaging said ngers from above for guiding said ngers in the movement of said means toward and away from said edges and for resisting exing of said lingers at points inwardly of said edges.

6. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom working face and a top face, a part of said blade having a folded over flange along one edge with longitudinally spaced openings through the fold, means mounted on the top face of the blade for movement toward and away from said edge and including spaced apart iingers projecting through said openings and outwardly beyond said edge, and means carried by said blade for holding said means against movement thereon.

7. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom working face and a top face, a handle support associated with said top face, a member mounted on said top face and beneath said handle support for movement toward and away from one edge of the blade and formed with longitudinally spaced ngers adapted to extend outwardly beyond said edge, and means for securing said handle support to the `blade and being operable to cause said handle support to clamp said member to said blade.

8. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom working face and a top face, a handle support associated with said top face, a member mounted on said top face and beneath said handle support for movement toward and away from one edge of the blade and formed with longitudinally spaced iingers adapted to extend outwardly beyond said edge, parts of said blade along said edge being formed to extend upwardly between said ngers and operating as guides therefor, and means for vsecuring said handle support support associated with said top face, a member mounted on said top face and beneath said handle support for movement toward and away from one edge of the blade and formed with longitudinally spaced iingers adapted to extend outwardly beyond said edge, parts of said blade along said edge extending upwardly between said ngers to act as guides therefor, and. means for operatively securing the handle support to said blade and. passing through openings in said member, said last mentioned means operating through the handle support to clamp the said member in position upon the blade.

10. A trowel embodying therein a blade having a bottom Working face and a top face, said blade being formed along opposed edges with a ange that overhangs marginal parts of the top face and is connected to said blade by a fold in which are longitudinally spaced openings, a handle support associated with said top face, a pair of plate like members mounted on said top face for movement, each toward and away from an associated edge of the blade, the inner portions of said plate-like members being arranged in overlapping relation beneath said handle support and formed along their outer portions as longitudinally spaced ngers which extend through and beyond said openings in said folds and whereby said fingers are engaged :from above by said anges, and means for securing said handle support to said blade and passing through openings in the overlapping inner portions of said members, said last mentioned means operating through said handle support to clamp said members to the blade.

1l. A blade for a trowel, said blade having a working face and a top face, opposed marginal parts of said blade being spaced above said top face and connected to the body of the blade by means of portions having longitudinally spaced openings therein.

CLEMENT E. PRITZ. 

